Super Rugby Heads West as Waratahs Confirm Three Games at Western Sydney Stadium
Rugby fans and supporters in Western Sydney received a boost today with the announcement that the NSW Waratahs will play three Super Rugby matches in the region in 2019.
The new Western Sydney Stadium will be the venue for three of the team’s competition matches – against the Sharks (South Africa), Jaguares (Argentina) and a local Aussie derby against the Brumbies.
Rugby followers in the area can snap up a special 3-match membership deal from $55 for the games in Parramatta. Additionally, all junior players who register with their club next year will receive a free 2019 NSW Waratahs season membership.
NSW Rugby CEO Andrew Hore said the new facility in Western Sydney provided a great opportunity to showcase the sport at its best to the local area and the international markets where rugby is played.
“Western Sydney is one of the fastest growing regions in NSW with a diverse population that has a strong passion for rugby. We want to capitalise on this and by taking the NSW Waratahs to that region it will hopefully further encourage more youngsters to take up the sport.
“This also aligns with our broader Western Sydney strategy that has looked specifically at the needs of the area to grow the game and encourage participation and fan engagement.
“The fact that we will be one of the first sports to play at the newly developed, state-of-the-art Western Sydney Stadium is a real opportunity for our fans and rugby participants in Western Sydney.
“We want to continue to grow and develop the sport in that area and the fact that the NSW Waratahs will play three matches there next year will certainly help us towards that goal,” Hore said.
Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres said Western Sydney Stadium is set to give fans an experience unlike anything they have seen before.
“No longer taken for granted, no longer second best, Western Sydney is now leading the way when it comes to sporting infrastructure and we welcome the NSW Waratahs to this fantastic new facility,” Mr Ayres said.
“By showcasing our talented NSW Waratahs in Western Sydney, we will show our younger players the pathway to the top, right in their backyard.”
NSW Waratahs prop Shambeckler Vui, who was born in Bankstown, also welcomed the team’s commitment to play in Western Sydney.
“The Western Sydney area is special to me and to have the opportunity to play at a brand new stadium not far from where I was born is awesome.
“If our presence here can help more kids see what a great game rugby is and the chances you get through the sport, then I’ll be a happy man,” Vui said.
For a third season in a row, ticket prices for all home games will remain the same.
“It is important for us that the games are affordable for our supporters and hence the decision to not increase the ticket prices,” Hore said.
Additionally, all junior players who register with their club in 2019 will once again receive a NSW Waratahs season membership, which will give them free access to all home games next year. If every registered junior player in NSW takes up the offer, this equates to an investment of $1-million.
The three matches in 2019 are:
